


but had it been the brother of my blood

by MercutioLives



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Brotherly Love, Brothers, Children, Cuddling & Snuggling, Drabble, Gen, Misgendering, Pre-Canon, Sleepy Cuddles, Trans Character, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 10:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2543855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercutioLives/pseuds/MercutioLives
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"So in the winter of their eighth year, Violetta became Mercutio, and Valentine gained for himself a new twin brother with whom to play."</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	but had it been the brother of my blood

**Author's Note:**

> There's really no explanation or reason for this one. I just really wanted to write Mercutio and Valentine being adorable tiny babies together, and I also wanted to revisit trans Mercutio. So this tiny ficlet happened.

As far back as Valentine could remember, his twin sister had been watching over him. Violetta was strong and clever and brave, making up in spades for what Valentine himself lacked. He knew, even as a small child, that hiding behind his sister was something shameful – yet being the frail, weak creature he was, he knew that without her he didn't stand a chance. Perhaps he should have been more skeptical when Violetta began to dress in Valentine's cast-off clothes, perhaps he should have been more reluctant to oblige when she asked him to call her "brother" instead and to help her think of a better name – but if nothing else, it was a seemingly fair price for a lifetime of constant protection. So in the winter of their eighth year, Violetta became Mercutio, and Valentine gained for himself a new twin brother with whom to play. Their uncle did not approve of this, but he was willing to let his niece play out her eccentric game until she tired of it.

With Mercutio at his side, Valentine seemed to blossom: he was no longer so much of a shrinking coward, for he had a brother's example to follow and his approval to win. It was easier to be brave now that they were equals. Their games took a rougher turn as they ran and shrieked through the palace halls, wrestled on the floor, flicked tidbits of food at one another across the supper table. Sometimes, as tonight, their uncle would forget to indulge Mercutio's new sense of self, and he would call him "Violetta" – and both children would take umbrage, Mercutio for himself and Valentine on behalf of his twin. Screaming and crying, they would be forced apart, with servants carrying them off to separate rooms even as they reached for one another.

Valentine lay curled on the floor, silent and unwilling to make an apology for his behaviour when his nurse came to check on him what felt like an eternity later. At the Prince's command, she was not permitted to lift his punishment until he was more willing to repent; the door was shut and Valentine was left by himself to weep, missing his brother and angry with himself for not doing more to protect him. Such things were dire sins to a child of eight, and he was certain that he would be forever damned for his failing. Some time after, the door opened once again, and Valentine looked up groggily (he'd begun to doze, and so his mind was thick and sluggish). Expecting to see his sour-faced nurse again, he was pleased instead to find Mercutio grinning at him from the doorway.

Valentine was on his feet in an instant, arms spread wide to catch his twin, who ran headlong into the waiting embrace. Their uncle found them thus entangled not ten minutes later, curled on the floor and fast asleep. They had not been apart for a full hour, yet they behaved as if they might never have seen each other again. With a silent signal, a particularly deft servant managed to lift both sleeping children and carry them to their bedroom; the Prince himself pulled the blankets over them, patted their heads, and snuffed out the candle.

 


End file.
